We have now arrived at the third position as set out by A.A Hodge in his Outlines of Theology. As noted in the first line, his position is that which was adopted by all the original Protestant Churches. He is claiming that this is the pure stream of truth that flowed from the Reformation. As in the Bible, the truth is met with the disdain of depraved hearts. When the pure truth is taught, opposition arises and sets out other teachings. Those teachings are usually what people normally or commonly think and that in accordance with proud, depraved hearts. During the time of Augustine, Pelagius came out against the truth of grace alone. During the time of the Reformation when the teaching of grace alone flourished, others rose up to contend with the Reformers who taught grace alone. The writings of those who contended with them both while they were alive and after they died are many. What Hodge has set out here is a beautiful and short synopsis of Augustinian and historical Reformed thought.
3rd. Augustinian.-Which was adopted by all the original Protestant Churches, Lutheran and Reformed. (a.) Man is by nature so entirely depraved in his moral nature as to be totally unable to do any thing spiritually good, or in any degree to begin or dispose himself thereto. (b.) That even under the exciting and suasory influences of divine grace the will of man is totally unable to act aright in co-operation with grace, until after the will itself is by the energy of grace radically and permanently renewed. (c.) Even after the renewal of the will it ever continues dependent upon divine grace, to prompt, direct, and enable it in the performance of every good work.
The Pelagian does not think that the fall of man into sin had any real influence on human nature. Semi-Pelagians believe that the fall of man into sin weakened the will. But notice that the Augustinian view takes Scripture as it speaks when it teaches that man is dead in his sins and trespasses and by nature is a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). The statement here is a short but powerful teaching on the depravity of humanity. It is not just that human beings have almost no power, but that they are entirely depraved in their moral nature. Notice that human beings are entirely depraved (total depravity) in their moral nature. It is not that a human being has a sinful arm or foot, but that the moral nature which uses the arm or foot for its intents and purposes is entirely depraved. While the Pelagian and Semi-Pelagian systems degenerate into a view where morality is determined by what a person does, the historical position of the Augustinian and Reformed do not fall into that. Jesus taught us this in Matthew 15:18-19: “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” It is not the actions in and of themselves that determine the wickedness of a person, but the person’s nature. When the moral nature is entirely or completely depraved, all that the person does is wicked even in the realm of religion and even in orthodox theology.
But the statement by Hodge gives even more explanation. Humanity is so entirely depraved that the human is totally unable to do any thing spiritually good. This is an accurate statement on what total depravity used to teach. By nature human beings are more than just unable to do things quite good enough, they are totally unable to do any thing spiritually good. Another way to state that would be to say that they cannot do the slightest thing that has the slightest bit of good in it no matter what it is. While it is a sign of depravity for a man to commit adultery, it is not the case that a person that does not commit adultery is not depraved. Both the adulterer and the one that does not commit adultery, apart from the regenerating grace of God, are totally unable to do anything spiritually good. One is outwardly moral and the other is not yet both of them are unable to do anything spiritually good.
Hodge’s statement goes even deeper yet. Not only are human beings unable to do one thing spiritually good, but they are unable in any degree to begin or even dispose themselves to do so. This is a shot at the fortress of human pride. If you are reading this carefully with attention to the biblical ramifications, then shock waves should be spreading through your system. What Hodge is setting out is the historical view of Augustinian and Reformed teaching on what the Bible teaches. This is the historical teaching on the depravity of human beings. It is not just that a person cannot do anything outwardly good, but that the person is utterly unable to do anything spiritually good at all not matter what the outside is doing. It is not just that the person cannot do something spiritually good, but the person cannot move him or herself in the smallest degree to begin or dispose him or herself to do anything spiritually good. What does this do? It leaves human beings at the mere mercy of God who will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and will have compassion on whom He will have compassion. In other words, this leaves human beings in total need of grace. It is precisely at this point that Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism rises to defend its own ability so that it will not need to rely totally on the grace and choice of God.
God Loves... Himself 
Leave a comment